Glendale students mark 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
Isabella Imperial, center, sings with the the Glendale High School A Capella Choir at the 15th annual Armenian Genocide commemoration at Glendale High School on Wednesday, April 20, 2016.
Students across Glendale Unified commemorated the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on Wednesday with songs and poetry in what was the 15th annual event spearheaded by Glendale school board member Greg Krikorian.
Beginning in 1915, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by the Ottoman Turks, and the genocide is still denied by modern-day Turkey.
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“This night is crucial as we enter the 101st year of Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide,” Krikorian said during the event at Glendale High’s John Wayne Performing Arts Center.
One of the genocide’s survivors is Glendale resident Madeleine Salibian, who turned 101 in December, and who attended the event, where more than 1,000 attendees gave her a standing ovation.
Jefferson Elementary School students play Simon Says as they wait for the Armenian Genocide commemoration to start at Glendale High School on Wednesday, April 20, 2016.
Salibian was born in Aintab, now known as Gaziantep, Turkey. She was only a few months old when her father’s Turkish friend gave her family three donkeys on which to escape, and the family ultimately traveled out of harm’s way to Aleppo.
Each year, Salibian said she enjoys participating in local, student-driven events that commemorate the genocide.
“She’s glad that it perpetuates and that it hasn’t been forgotten,” said Salibian’s daughter Susan Howe, who translated for her.
The event brought together students from Armenian clubs at Glendale, Clark Magnet, Hoover and Crescenta Valley high schools, as well as students from R.D. White and Jefferson elementary schools and Toll Middle School.
During the event, the Davidian & Mariamian Educational Foundation choir sang Armenian songs.
The 15th annual event was spearheaded by Glendale school board member Greg Krikorian.
Armina Gharpetian, president of the Glendale school board, recalled how board members unanimously approved a resolution in March officially marking April 24 as a day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide in Glendale Unified.
“As an Armenian American, I feel blessed to live in a school district which values and takes pride in having a very diverse community and constantly promotes and teaches human kindness toward one another.”
The commemorative event was the first for Glendale Unified’s new superintendent, Winfred Roberson, who stepped into his new leadership role about two weeks ago.
“I cannot pretend to know your pain,” he said. “But I stand with you in your quest for American and world awareness.”
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Kelly Corrigan, [email protected]
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
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